Health Consultant

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Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

 The purpose of the Health consultant is primarily to provide technical support to the Health Specialsit in Jonglei State, including planning, implementation, coordination, capacity building, data / evidence gathering, and supportive supervision of health activities under the PEHSP.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

The major responsibilities of the consultant include:

• Participate in UNICEF field office strategic discussion for the planning of the PEHSP health program and activities.
• Work closely and collaboratively with internal and external colleagues and partners in the field to discuss operational and implementation issues, provide solutions, recommendations and/or alert appropriate officials and stakeholders for higher-level intervention and/or decision.
• Keep record of reports for easy reference and/or to capture and institutionalize lessons learned.
• Participate in monitoring activities and PEHSP program reviews with government and other counterparts to assess programs and report on required action/interventions at the higher level of program management.
• Conduct regular program field visits to assess progress and ensure that results are achieved by implementing partners and verified at County and State level. Provide technical support, take appropriate action to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for resolution. Report to supervisor on critical issues, bottlenecks and potential problems for timely action to achieve results.
• Perform frequent supervision visits to implementing partners, health facilities and communities targeted by the project as per agreed planning and using MOH’s quantitative supervisory checklist (QSC):
• to assess and monitor the delivery of high impact PHC services in health facilities and counties targeted by the project.
• to improve quality of care provided in health facilities targeted by the project, by providing technical support and in-service training/mentorship to existing health workers based on assessed needs; by disseminating and enforcing the MOH’s written protocols and technical standards and by identifying gaps in skilled health workers at facility level;
• to report any misuse of pharmaceuticals, essential drugs and medical supplies observed during supervision visits.
• Elaborate and submit supervision visit reports, highlighting findings of each supervision visit and corrective actions to be taken to ensure effective delivery of quality PHC services.
• Strengthen the management capacity of the State Ministry of Health (SMOH) and County Health Departments (CHDs) in providing the delivery of high impact PHC services and in carrying out their key stewardship functions, specifically:
• the conduct of systematic and supportive supervision of service delivery at all health facilities using the quantitative supervisory checklist (QSC);
• the effective coordination of all health partners at County and State level to harmonize activities.
• the implementation of the MOH’s standard recording and reporting systems, including the health management information system (HMIS) and the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR).
• Coordinate with relevant implementing partners to provide a timely and adequate response to epidemics or other health emergencies, if needs arise.
• On a monthly basis, collect and analyse all relevant data and information to gauge the progress of achievement of results under the agreement. The data will come from various sources (i) the MOH’s health management information system (HMIS); (ii) the MOH’s quantitative supervisory checklist (QSC);  and (iii) internal monitoring, spot check, auditing and verification mechanisms currently used by UNICEF or newly designed for this activity. 
• Participate in relevant meetings on the PEHSP project with Implementing partners, MoH, CHD and other relevant stakeholders.

 

Scope of Work:

 

The Health Consultant will provide technical support to the Health Specialist in Bor field office for the implementation and monitoring of activities under PEHSP.

The consultant will be based in Bor and is expected to have regular travels within Jonglei State and surrounding areas of UNICEF interventions, conducting programmatic visits scheduled and other Health program requirements.

 

Work Assignment Overview (Deliverables/Outputs)

Participate in strategic planning discussion on PEHSP and contribute to inputs in program development and implementation Micro-plan schedule/calendar based on UNSDCF and CPD roadmaps

• Written minutes of strategic planning discussions with key decisions /orientations and ways forward available as of when pertinent

Perform supervision visits to implementing partners, health facilities and communities targeted by the project as per agreed monthly plans. Identify bottlenecks and develop and monitor actions plans for partnersSMR agenda, PowerPoint slides, onsite facilitation

• Monthly information on the status of implementation of agreed initial plan, identified bottlenecks, corrective actions and plans aiming to address the bottlenecks.

Conduct on-job training, supportive supervision, and coaching, as needed to health facility staff in specified locations. Supervise training of health workers as required.

• Number of locations visited; number of health workers trained / coached on-site; # of formal training sessions supervised

Participate in monthly meetings at County and State level, as required, representing UNICEF. Close follow up with partners for capacity building of the CHD

• # of CHD staff coached; CHD’s monitoring plan developed and under implementation; # of field visits implemented jointly with CHD staff

Collect and analyze data to elaborate monthly and final quarterly analytical reports using HMIS and QSC checklist data. Stocks and pharmaceutical management follow up of partners. Review weekly submitted r Monthly report on data and pharmaceuticals helping to inform on the progress of the implementation of the programme; # effective and documented feedback to IPs eports, providing feedback to partners on implementations

• Monthly report on data and pharmaceuticals helping to inform on the progress of the implementation of the programme; # effective and documented feedback to IPs

Develop alongside partners the monthly EPI vaccination plans, and monitor implementation of both static and outreach vaccinations, and SIAs as required.

• Monthly progress of vaccination activities (status of EPI monitoring charts)

Monitor implementation of county referral plans, quality of service delivery for Hospitals, PHCCs and PHCUs – BEMONC and CEMONC services, Family Planning and HIV/PMTCT and CMR services

• Status of services uptake as per the initial plan and target

Program monitoring and technical support provided to primary health care implementation; static and community – BHI with support to boma health workers.

• Status of the BHI Phase 2 Safe motherhood roll-out in Jonglei including training, on-job mentorship as well as assess and improving the quality of care and referral of children to the nearest HFs

Monthly report of activities

• A written report with pictures and providing the status of all above agreed benchmarks

 

Minimum Qualifications required:

•     A University degree in one of the following fields is required: public health/nutrition, paediatric health, family health, health research, global/international health, health policy and/or management, environmental health sciences, biostatistics, socio-medical, health education, epidemiology, or another relevant technical field

•     A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in public health and management and/or in relevant areas of maternal and neonatal health care, health emergency/humanitarian preparedness, at the international level and/or in a developing country is required.

•     Experience in health program/project development in UN system agency or organization is an asset.

•     Experience working in Jonglei or Greater Pibor Administrative Area and in a similar project like the PEHSP is an added advantage.

•     Knowledge of the duty station is considered as an asset for this consultancy.

•     Diplomacy, conflict management, flexibility, understanding of local cultural and social practices are key success factors for this consultancy.

A range of specialized skills

•     Experience of management of PEHSP or similar programmes.

•     Excellent oral and written communication skills and report writing.

•     In-depth analytical and problem-solving skills.

•     Excellent facilitation skills, training skills and ability to organize and implement training.

•     Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and proven interpersonal skills.

•     Experience in building successful relationships with government counterparts, UN agencies, CSOs and other relevant stakeholders.

•     Ability to cope with hardship conditions.

•     Knowledge of computer management skills including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint software.

 

Duration: 11 months starting from 01 August 2021 – 30 June 2022

ALL applications must be submitted with detailed financial and technical proposal

 

Travel Clause 

• All UNICEF rules and regulations related to travel of Consultants/ Individual Contractors apply.
• All travels shall be undertaken only upon the prior written approval by UNICEF.
• The eligible maximum amount for travel is specified in the contract.
• The consultant is responsible for his/her travel arrangements. The most economic and direct route is authorized.
• Travel costs will be reimbursed after the completion of mission. UNICEF will pay the applicable DSA rate and other travel related expenses upon submission of the invoice together with the supporting documentation.

 

Nature of Penalty Clause in Contract

If the final reports and documents are not submitted according to the deliverables stated in this TOR, the payments will be withheld. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines (fees reduced due to late submission: 20 days – 10%; 1 month – 20%; 2 months -30%; more 2 months – payment withheld). All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.

 

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.